All it takes is the first hint of warm spring weather and we start thinking of the great outdoors. By that, we do not mean sea kayaking, a vigorous hike in the hills or a jaunt to some provincial onsen. For us, it is quite sufficient to salute the first blossoms and leaves from the vantage point of a well-appointed alfresco lunch table.
Good food, an open-air terrace and panoramic greenery with not a single building to be seen. This holy trinity may be hard to find in downtown Tokyo, but venture to Nakamachidai, an upscale enclave in the suburban sprawl of nearby Kanagawa, and that is precisely what's on offer at the excellent Park Side Cafe.
The park in question is Seseragi Koen, a narrow strip of grass and trees where adults stroll or rollerblade while children paddle and fish for minnows in a tranquil brook. The pleasure of finding yourself in such an idyllic setting is only heightened when you discover that Park Side Cafe is housed in a modern steel- and glass-clad building that would not look out of place in Aoyama -- and that the food is of equal sophistication.